Age (at start of series): 38

Home: USA

Occupation: Actress

Popularity in house: Marisha has been evicted

Interesting facts: It couldn't be a Celebrity Big Brother line-up without an American star, right?

Having earned her stripes on Broadway shows Aladdin and Something Rotten, she went on to star as Effie White in Dreamgirls and appeared in Hairspray and Waitress on the West End. Marisha frequently posts on Instagram to show fans what life as a musicals star, most recently enjoying a boozy night out with Katherine Jenkins and pals on St David's Day. She wrote: "Happy St David’s Day! I was an honorary Welshie last night thanks to my sister @katherinejenkinsobe ! We celebrated St. David’s Day in style. We had loads of incredible cocktails with Kat’s new gin @cygnet_gin which looks and tastes sensational.

"I loved hearing what being Welsh means to my incredible friends. The language and the traditions. The pride! I loved it. I have so many Welsh friends who have been a huge support for me. They are always up for a laugh and boy can they sing. When I took my life in the UK test I learned about daffodils as the flower of Wales. It was beautiful to see them laid out on the table last night with my UK family sitting all around."

Last week, she finished her stint on Guys And Dolls and was visibly emotional to see her parents in the audience, writing: "Fin…it was amazing to have my Mom and Mike and my niece at the last show. What an unforgettable night. My Mom has not been to see a show in London since Dreamgirls. So it was a very special moment to be at this point in the journey to show her how far I have come. I cried like a baby in her arms after the curtain call. You can have thousands of fans but nothing beats your Mom watching you perform."